2016 Sports Photos Of The Year
2016 was an incredible year for sports. From championships finally arriving in Cleveland and for the Chicago Cubs, to the United States’ dominance at the 2016 Summer Olympics, this year was certainly memorable.
It was also an amazing year for sports photography, which is why we’ve compiled our picks for Sports Photos of the Year over the following pages. The picks are in no particular order, though we tried to group them by subject as best we could.
Click through to check them out.
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Kris Bryant appears to levitate as the Chicago Cubs celebrate winning their first World Series in 108 years in the early morning hours of November 3.
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs meet at the mound to celebrate after defeating the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.
(TASOS KATOPODIS/AFP/Getty Images)
A massive crowd celebrates outside of Wrigley Field after the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series.
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Bill Murray holds back tears as he celebrates his beloved Cubs finally winning a World Series.
(Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
The Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning square off in a fight during the third period of Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on April 15.
(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate after winning the Stanley Cup with a victory in Game Six of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final on June 12.
(Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The dejected San Jose Sharks look on as the Penguins celebrate their Stanley Cup win.
(Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Sidney Crosby hoists the Stanley Cup on behalf of the Penguins.
(Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)
Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway crashes into a barrier as he celebrates after completing his run during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men’s Slalom event on January 17 in Wengen, Switzerland. Kristoffersen won the event.
(Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Leicester City captain Wes Morgan and manager Claudio Ranieri lift the Premier League Trophy as the team celebrates its improbable championship on May 7.
(Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Gael Monfils of France dives for a forehand during the fourth round of the Australian Open on January 25.
(Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Australia’s Rory Arnold deals with a gruesome injury during the Wallabies’ match with England in Melbourne on June 18.
(SOREN ANDERSSON/AFP/Getty Images)
Competitors battle in the messy 2016 Gotland Grand National enduro motorcycle race in Gotland, Sweden on October 29.
(Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
The United States Ryder Cup team celebrates with their wives and girlfriends after defeating the European team on October 2 at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
(PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP/Getty Images)
Terreiro do Paco square in Lisbon is packed with supporters as Portugal takes on France in the final of Euro 2016 on July 10. Portugal won 1-0 in extra time.
(Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Argentina’s Lionel Messi looks on as Chile’s Francisco Silva lines up for a game-winning penalty kick during the Copa America Centenario Championship match on June 26. Messi missed his kick and his team would lose 4-2 on penalties.
(Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo celebrates his squad’s win in the Copa America Centenario Championship match.
(Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Andy Murray of Great Britain celebrates after beating Milos Raonic to win Wimbledon for the second time on July 10.
(Elsa/Getty Images)
Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic flies over Stuff (the team’s mascot) during the Verizon Slam Dunk contest on February 13.
(Harry How/Getty Images)
Kobe Bryant acknowledges the crowd as he is removed from his final game after scoring 60 points and leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a comeback win over the Utah Jazz on April 13.
(Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Kobe Bryant walks off the floor for the final time in his NBA career amidst a media throng.
(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
LeBron James blocks Andre Iguodala’s fourth-quarter layup attempt during Game 7 of the NBA Finals on June 19. James and the Cleveland Cavaliers would go on to defeat the Golden State Warriors.
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
James and teammate Kevin Love embrace as the Cleveland Cavaliers clinch the first championship in their history.
In the Olympic final of his signature event (the 200-meter butterfly), Michael Phelps leads rival Chad le Clos, who eyes up the 23-time gold medalist mid-race. Before the semifinal in this event, Phelps famously stared a hole through le Clos during the South African’s pre-race antics.
Phelps won the 200-meter butterfly in Rio, avenging his loss to le Clos from four years earlier.
Katie Ledecky regularly smoked her competition in Rio, this photo by Adam Pretty captures her dominance in one image. Ledecky destroyed all comers in the 800-meter freestyle at the 2016 Summer Olympics, with no one even close to her. Ledecky returned from Rio with four gold medals (three individual) and a silver, along with new world records in the 400- and 800-meter freestyle events.
Ibtihaj Muhammad reacts during the women’s sabre team fencing event at the Rio Olympics. Muhammad became the first woman from the United States to compete while wearing a hijab. She and the Americans won a bronze medal in the team event.
(Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Simone Biles competes in the balance bean during the women’s individual all-around final in Rio. A beautiful capture by Mike Ehrmann shows the eventual champion’s amazing athleticism with a multiple-exposure shot. Biles won four gold medals and a bronze at the 2016 Summer Olympics, including the individual all-around and team events.
After nailing her floor routine during the women’s individual all-around in Rio, American Aly Raisman gets emotional, realizing she has secured at least a silver medal. The 22-year-old returned to the 2016 Summer Olympics after finishing out of the medals in the all-around in London.
(Ian Walton/Getty Images)
New Zealand’s Nikki Hamblin helps Abbey D’Agostino to her feet after the two collided during a heat of women’s 5000-meter race in Rio. Hamblin, D’Agostino and this image became a symbol of sportsmanship during the games.
(Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
In what is one of the greatest sports photos I’ve ever seen, Cameron Spencer perfectly captured the essence of Usain Bolt in one image. Bolt’s playful nature and dominance have never been on display in one place the way they were during the semifinal of the 100-meters at the Rio Games. This shot will endure along with the legend of Bolt, who swept all three of his events for the third-straight Olympics.
(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Manny Pacquiao readies one of his signature left hands for Timothy Bradley during their welterweight championship fight on April 9 in Las Vegas. Pacquiao won by unanimous decision and put Bradley on the canvas twice during the final fight of their trilogy.
(Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
Nate Diaz looks at Conor McGregor through his badly bloodied eyes during their welterweight rematch at UFC 202 on August 20. McGregor won by majority decision.
(Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Jordina Baars and Steph Glew are caught in an exchange of punches in this photo during their Cage Muay Thai 8 bout in Brisbane, Australia on March 4.
(John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
C.M. Punk looks on after being dominated by Mickey Gall at UFC 203. Punk tapped out to a rear-naked choke just 2:14 into his mixed martial arts debut.
(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Conor McGregor makes good on his promise to hold up two title belts after winning the UFC lightweight championship from Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205. McGregor thrilled the Madison Square Garden crowd by knocking out Alvarez in the second round of their bout on November 12.
(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Reggie Upshaw (No. 30) celebrates after a dunk late in Middle Tennessee’s upset of Michigan State on the first day of the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
(Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
Grayson Allen makes a midair pass during Duke’s 71-64 win over Yale during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
(Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Klint Carlson of Northern Iowa reacts after Texas A&M completed an improbable comeback during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The Panthers led by 12 with just 44 seconds remaining and lost to the Aggies in overtime.
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Indiana center Thomas Bryant reacts during the Hoosiers’ win over archrival Kentucky in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament. Indiana won the hotly contested matchup 73-67 in a game that lived up to the immense hype preceding it it.
(Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Marcus Paige launches a 3-pointer with less than five seconds left during the 2016 national championship game against Villanova. The ball went through the net to tie the game, but just 4.7 seconds later, Paige’s improbable shot was rendered meaningless.
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Kris Jenkins of Villanova answers Marcus Paige’s improbable shot with one of his own, hitting a 3-pointer as time expired to give the Wildcats a 77-74 win and their first basketball national championship in 31 years.
(Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Kris Jenkins and his teammates celebrate after he hit the winning shot as time expired in the 2016 national championship game.
(TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller watches a loose ball sit near the goal line after he stripped Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton during the first quarter of Super Bowl 50. The ball was recovered by Denver’s Malik Jackson for a touchdown.
(TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
Miller strips Newton again during Super Bowl 50.
(TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
Broncos running back C.J. Anderson celebrates as his team wins Super Bowl 50.
(TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
Peyton Manning is mobbed by media members after the Broncos won Super Bowl 50. It would be his final game.
(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Eli Harold, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid kneel in protest of the national anthem before the San Francisco 49ers played the Arizona Cardinals on October 8.
(Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Rams receiver Nelson Spruce lays a stiff-arm on Dallas Cowboys cornerback Dax Swanson during the NFL’s return to Los Angeles. The August 13 preseason contest was the league’s first game in Los Angeles in more than 20 years.
(Al Bello/Getty Images)
Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants gets some face-time with the kicking net after scoring a fourth-quarter touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens on October 16.
(Harry How/Getty Images)
Lawrence Erekosima of Alabama celebrates after the Crimson Tide beat the Clemson Tigers 45-40 in the National Championship Game on January 11.
(Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports)
Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson strikes the Heisman pose during a run against North Carolina State on October 22. Jackson would win the Heisman Trophy two months later.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
USC’s Adoree’ Jackson leaps over Notre Dame kicker John Chereson on his way to a 96-yard kick return touchdown during the Trojans’ 45-27 win on November 26.
(Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
United States gold medal-winning gymnast Laurie Hernandez throws out the first pitch at Citi Field on September 3.
(Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
Giancarlo Stanton puts on one of the greatest Home Run Derby displays in history at Petco Park on July 11. Stanton won the contest.
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
NESN reporter Guerin Austin gets the worst of a Powerade bath meant for Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts hit a game-winning single in extra innings against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park on June 23.
(Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports)
Texas Rangers shortstop Hanser Alberto has a bubble burst on his face during a matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays on May 4.
(Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
Members of the New York Mets stand during a moment of silence honoring late Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez on September 25.
(Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
The Marlins leave their hats on the pitching mound to honor Jose Fernandez.
(Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
Dee Gordon, Marcell Ozuna, Martin Prado, Marcell Ozuna, and Miguel Rojas of the Miami Marlins honor Fernandez days after he passed away. This September 28 photo shows their raw emotion and disbelief.
(Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Aldemys Diaz — a childhood friend of Fernandez — looks to the sky after hitting a grand slam in his second at-bat after returning to the team following Fernandez’s passing. This photo from September 27 is one of the best of the year.
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz tips his cap to the crowd at Fenway Park after the final game of his career on October 10.